We are excited to announce enhanced SQL Server 2014 Management Studio (SSMS) support for Azure SQL database including the latest SQL Database Update V12 (preview). Bringing this functionality into SSMS provides an easy way to discover and better leverage cloud capabilities in a familiar environment. Available for download now, this functionality is being delivered via the SQL Server CU5 update.

What’s New

We’ve enabled a variety of scenarios to fill some existing gaps in our Azure SQL database experience. These range from added support for the Database Properties dialog and Table Designer to command availability in the Object Explorer. Additionally, the Import Export and Deploy to Azure wizards have be extended to support the latest SQL Database Update V12 (preview). Let’s take a look at someof the things we’ve brought into this update.

Database Property Dialog

The properties dialog has been extended to add support for the performance model for Azure SQL Database. You can now view and change your Service Tiers (Editions) as well as Performance Levels (Service Level Objectives). For more details on the performance model, see Performance Levels and Service Tiers.

Object Explorer

Several new contextual menu items are now enabled for Microsoft Azure SQL Databases that are outlined below.

Table Designer

Now you’ve got access to a powerful productivity surface in SSMS with the added support of the table designer for Azure SQL Database. Some tasks are suited for T-SQL, others for the designer. You can now choose the method you’d like to accomplish the work across a range of platform offerings.

“Select Top 1000 Rows” and “Edit Top 200 Rows”

In terms of utility, we’ve added support for quickly showing the top rows of a table in Azure SQL Database. This is one of those little things that make DBA and development work just a bit easier.

Table Properties Dialog and Sequence Dialog:

Reviewing and setting the myriad of properties on a table is sometimes easier with some help from a familiar user interface. Table properties and sequence dialogs are now supported for tables in Azure SQL Databases.

Extend Object Types in the Object Explorer

The Object Explorer has been updated to properly display the supported object types in Microsoft Azure SQL Databases. The new exposures here includes: Aggregate Functions, Application Roles, Assemblies, Columns/Indexes for Tables, Defaults, Plan Guides, Rules, Sequences, Storage, User-Defined Object Types, and XML Schema Collections. This represents a significant growth in surface area for Azure SQL databases – as the surface area moves closer to SQL Server, managing and maintaining these objects just like SQL Server makes good sense.

Functions and Stored Procedures

The context menu commands for Functions and Stored Procedures have been exposed properly for Azure SQL Databases.

Open in Management Portal…

The “Open in Management Portal…” option for Azure SQL Databases we’ve added allows direct navigation to the Azure Management Portal. This provides an easy way of accessing your Azure SQL Databases in the Azure portal.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or feedback, please visit our Microsoft Connect page. We look forward to hearing from you.

These features are only going to be present with SSMS connecting to Azure v12. Can you validate the server version of Azure you are connecting to?

Hello Ivan,

This is a known issue and we are working on getting this straightened out. Sorry about the inconvenience. At this time, you will not be able to see the database properties in Azure v12 until SSMS uses a different method or the Azure v12 service is updated to allow dbo.slo_database_objectives.

I've installed both hotfixes, and unfortunately I can still not access any of the new UI functions for SQL Azure v12 databases (such as table designer, select top 1000 rows, etc). I have confirmed with two different database servers that have SQL Azure v12 on them. Are there any troubleshooting steps I can do to get this functionality to work? Thanks.

What is interesting is I recently ran the hotfix on my desktop, and the new SSMS features worked. On my laptop, the features do not work. I decided to try uninstalling SQL 2014 on my laptop – which uninstalled successfully, but did not remove the hotfixes. At this point, I can reinstall SQL 2014, but cannot reapply the hotfixes, which are stuck in a limbo of not actually being installed, but won't let a reinstall fix the state. Is there any solution for this other than reinstalling Windows (which I really would rather not do)? Thanks.

What is wrong with that hotfix server? I constantly get Network Errors trying to download the file. Please can you respond, as I apparently glanced over the fact that the Silverlight manager is not working anymore in V12.

So this Relationships issue has not been fixed a year later? Coupled with the inability to use Database Diagrams in SSMS to edit relationships with Azure SQL, this seriously makes me question the viability of Azure SQL as a solution. These inane bugs just should not exist.

Came by to say I too am amazed that there is no built in support for Foreign Key constraints using SSMS's GUI with Azure V12. How can a bug as critical as this even make it into a production release? Will be waiting impatiently for a fix.

It's unbelievable, I can not create foreign key relationships because of that isAccessible issue, and no one can help us here. I'm using the trial version for azure databases, and this is not a good sign for me